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Utilities

Updated Feb. 17, 1998 12:01 a.m. ET

Most local-service telephone companies met Wall Street's expectations as demand for second telephone lines and enhanced features remained robust. All of the Baby Bells got a small one-time boost last quarter on the sale of Bellcore, the research concern they jointly owned. Several local-phone carriers reported one-time charges related to government-mandated refunds or rate changes. Bell Atlantic and SBC Communications, as expected, both took charges related to major acquisitions that closed last year.